The use of portable radio communication devices, such as pagers, radio telephones, and the like, is increasingly becoming common place for a significant portion of the population. Many such devices currently provide access to a variety of information sources through one or more subscription services. For instance, it is known to provide information such as current news, sports, and weather, on a regularly updated basis through paging devices. As communication devices become more integrated, there is a greater increase in demand for additional functionality that is attendant to the needs of the user. One such need is that of quick access to local weather information, particularly in emergency situations.
Weather information is often sourced from a national weather service, particularly when emergency conditions exist. For example, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) of the United States of America operates a national weather service (NWS), which broadcasts information, derived from data collected at various observing stations, for public dissemination. The NWS provides detailed location specific information which may be invaluable for certain users. Such information is currently disseminated through radio broadcasts and other bulk distribution methods.
One prior art method of weather information dissemination is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,390,237, issued to Hoffman, Jr. et al., on Feb. 14, 1995, for a Weather Information Interface System. Here, a remote access system provides a menu driven telephone interface that enables users to select a particular remote weather station, to obtain information reported or broadcasted by that weather station. The system requires user initiation and user interaction to obtain weather information. Thus, important information may not be disseminated in a timely manner.
It is desirable to have a system that can provide quick access to weather and other event information to a large number of people concerned with an affected locality. Such a system should provide for a minimum of user interaction, and should preferably not require user initiation thereby ensuring timely dissemination of the information. Accordingly, a new automatic event notification system is needed.